The story which dominated the news agenda during the summer and led to widespread parliamentary reforms earned The Daily Telegraph the title of Political Publication of the Year at the Political Studies Association Awards lunch at the Institute of Directors in central London.

The judges unanimously voted to recognise the Telegraph, saying: "Through its investigation and carefully timed revelations, the paper helped to orchestrate the political story of the year, drawing attention to the systematic abuse of the taxpayer-funded expenses system by a significant number of MPs."

Hours later, the Telegraph made it a brace of awards when it won the Foreign Press Association's Print and Web News award for the MPs' expenses scoop.

The award was presented to the Telegraph's assistant editor, Andrew Pierce, by Vince Cable, in a ceremony at the Park Lane Hotel in Piccadilly.

Earlier this month The Daily Telegraph won the El Mundo newspaper's Reporters World Award for the expenses story, presented to editor William Lewis by King Juan Carlos of Spain at a ceremony in Madrid.